DOLORES M. BERNAL

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Obama's Text Message Stunt Spoiled By Media

Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:55 AM EDT

politics, obama, media, press, text, message, vp, announcement, spoiled

By Dolores M. Bernal

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Millions of Obama supporters expected to learn who he would pick as his VP via text message on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, someone in his campaign was bound to reveal the well-kept secret to the media and did so by 10 p.m. Friday. The Democratic source confirmed that Joe Biden was Obama's pick and the rest is history.

CNN broke the story first, then it was the Associated Press, within minutes the Huffington Post had it all over their front page and so did every other news outlet in the nation. The anticipation of wanting to know Obama's VP pick was so great that to wait for a text message to announce Obama's VP was too much to take for many.

"I still have mixed feelings," said a good friend of my after he learned the news about Biden. As a huge Obama supporter, my friend and others like him were looking forward to being the firsts to know about Obama's pick Saturday morning as the campaign had promised. The text will still go out, I'm sure, but it will be so anti-climatic. Almost even unnecessary.

In the nightly news here in Los Angeles, news anchors joked about the long-awaited text message. They showed images of people they had interviewed earlier that day, folks who were excited about what they would get on their cell phones. Those scenes were followed by reporters on the street telling people that Obama had picked Biden and getting their reaction -- people seemed dumbfounded. Were they not expecting to hear the news so soon or were they expecting someone else as VP?

Obama's campaign was rumored to spend over $1 million in the text message announcement of his VP pick, according to the Huffington Post. With only a few more hours away before he officially announces Biden as his running mate in Illinois, does it still make sense for the Obama campaign to carry out their stunt? Wouldn't it be a waste of money now?

Nevertheless, the idea of getting the news of the VP pick from the Obama campaign by text message was a good one. It built a great amount of anticipation and excitement; something voters haven't felt in a long time. It was a nice feeling to anticipate something so badly, and it's a great feeling to know now that Obama's pick is someone we actually like.

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Public Discussion (26)

Dolores M. Bernal

I'm about to text message my friends about Biden....some of them are still at the bar unaware of the news.

2 votes

#1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:56 AM EDT

williamlanders

Here is your answear to Obama's stunt.

#2 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:06 AM EDT

williamlanders

Here is your answear to Obama's text stunt.

read about it ameriborn dot com

2 votes

#3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:07 AM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

I'll check it out. A stunt to remember.

2 votes

#3.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:09 AM EDT

Barry Rutherford

probably a blessing in disguise I hate receiving unsolicited TXT's !

2 votes

#3.2 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:34 AM EDT

Brian Ford

This wouldn't have been unsolicited. People signed up specifically with the *goal* of receiving this text.

With that said, this wasn't about about text messages. This was about getting phone numbers, so they could call for donations later.

3 votes

#3.3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:25 AM EDT

junebug-404897

OMG this was sooooooooooo exciting. Me and my BFF were texting back and forth all evening yesterday, an we couldn't wait for the big news. Then we heard that two of the guys were voted off, fired, sent home or sang the wrong tune, so we figured that it had to be either the guy from DE. or the dude from Texas, but no one knows him. We slept with our cells, and now we will be sure to send in our donations. Afterall, it cost alot to send out all those texts.

2 votes

#3.4 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:36 PM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

I didn't get a text message....it's 1:32 Pacific time on Saturday. I did, however, get the announcement by email.

1 vote

#3.5 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:33 PM EDT

katrix

junebug ... hehe

#3.6 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:19 AM EDT

Christian Areas

When you think about it, it does kind of suck they leaked the info. But honestly, I just wanted to know. And the fact the leak came out late, when no one (besides us political junkies) was paying attention, kind makes the leak not that big of a deal, considering a bunch of people are either sleeping or drunk out of their mind right now. Point is, by the time people wake up, they'll have their text. The text might even wake them.

2 votes

#4 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:44 AM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

I was a news junkie until 2 a.m. I finally had to crash out and go to bed. It was an exciting night with my computer and I : )

1 vote

#4.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:34 PM EDT

David Haas

Biden will not protect Obama-He is weak, and has no business running for President. It is absolutely outrageous, that a supporter of a known terrorist(William Ayers), and a suppoter of a anti-American/racist church Rev Wright, and Flegler(for over 20 years) which he exposed his precious daughters too, can even be a canditate for President. Not to mention his dealings with another convicted felon, Resko. And these things are only the tip of the iceberg. He is getting by on his good looks and charisma,(charm) and this will not stand. Obama has been protected by the media, and his campaign since day one. The American people are smarter than this, and will not be fooled by the media, or his campaign.

3 votes

#5 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:33 AM EDT

Conrad from San Antonio

smear, smear, smear, smear.
Wake up and smell the roses

2 votes

#5.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:12 AM EDT

No Mcgovern repeat 08

I pretty much think we just handed the election to the Republicans, short of some "miricle' at the convention

1 vote

#5.2 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:04 AM EDT

JohnRussell

smear, smear, smear, smear.
Wake up and smell the roses

Do people ever have to be responsible for their choices in your eyes?

Obama chose to be associated with a racist church for 17 years.

Ayers was a convicted terrorist when Obama first met him.

Pfleger was a radical anti-white Catholic priest before the first day Obama set eyes on him.

These are not speculations, they are facts.

It is completely fair to judge a candidate on these types of associations, whether you like it or not.

1 vote

#5.3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:04 AM EDT

Brian Ford

Ayers was a convicted terrorist when Obama first met him.

Wait. When was Ayers convicted of being a terrorist? We're allowed to make @!$%# up, now?

Nice!

3 votes

#5.4 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:28 AM EDT

JohnRussell

You're right, I meant to say self-admitted terrorist.

1 vote

#5.5 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:49 AM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

I think Biden is in general a great guy. He has so many years of experience and in all events I've seen him live or on TV he has been honest and frank -- I like that in a candidate.

1 vote

#5.6 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:35 PM EDT

Zydor

All very presumptious by certain media outlets, as if 300million will be glued all night awaiting he announcement. The reality will be large numbers - the majority will have heard via text/email - word of mouth yaddie yadda. At the end of the day, its hardly important who was "first" or that "we pre-empted him"- woopie ...

Many people need to retain a sense of proportion over all this - there are far to many ego's being deliberately placed on the motorway to get run over with an insane - and frankly ignorant - urge to be the "first" or "as first reported here last century [etc]" ....

Its a funny 'ol world .....

3 votes

#6 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:42 AM EDT

Conrad from San Antonio

well said Zydor.
Will you be my friend?

1 vote

#6.1 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:14 AM EDT

Zydor

Done - cheque's in the post :)

1 vote

#6.2 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:02 AM EDT

Bill Harrison

The whole "text message" nonsense was simply an attempt to excite the Gen Y Obamaites who live by such silly stuff. Glad they got their comeuppance from the old-fashioned MSM which is still light years ahead of the so-called world of "Citizen Journalism".

2 votes

#6.3 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:30 PM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

Well it was a try to a different and new approach to excite your base, I think the Obama folks are quite creative, got to give them kudos for that. If it had been a McCain idea, the Republicans would had been at the edge of their seats too.

1 vote

#6.4 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:38 PM EDT

Bill Harrison

I wouln't have.

2 votes

#6.5 - Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:23 PM EDT

Brian Ford

The whole "text message" nonsense was simply an attempt to excite the Gen Y Obamaites who live by such silly stuff.

I'd say it was more likely a way to get phone numbers into a database. Marketing savvy -- McCain could use it.

2 votes

#6.6 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:07 AM EDT

katrix

I wouln't have.

Me either - Dem or Rep. Knowing a few minutes before it was announced publicly would do exactly what for me? But then, I'm also one of those who prefers for the crowds to die down before I go see a movie. And I get enough political marketing calls as it is on my landline, the last thing I need is to start getting them on my cell.

Does anyone know whether the texts actually went out?

1 vote

#7 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:21 AM EDT

Dolores M. Bernal

They went out at 3 a.m. Saturday.

1 vote

#7.1 - Sun Aug 24, 2008 2:47 AM EDT

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DOLORES M. BERNAL

Obama's Text Message Stunt Spoiled By Media

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